1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to endoscopy, and more particularly to a system and method for externally tracked video endoscopy using endo-robots combined with virtual endoscopy.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Endoscopic examination is a medical procedure in which an imaging device referred to as an endoscope is inserted into a live subject for the purpose of diagnosis and/or treatment. Examples of endoscopy are the colonoscopy and bronchoscopy.
These procedures require that the instrument be inserted and controlled through direct mechanical interaction. This includes some portion of the instrument being inside the patient while the rest of the same instrument is manipulated externally. By necessity of design, most endoscopic devices are in the form of long flexible or rigid tubes attached to a control head that remains outside the body of the patient.
A consequence of this design is that there is usually some mild to severe discomfort associated with endoscopy coupled with a risk of damage to internal structures if too much force is applied externally to the endoscope.
Virtual endoscopy could in theory be used to explore the body structures of interest and to detect the problem areas, such as nodules or polyps. However, this technique can lead to the detection of false positives or misdiagnoses, which in turn can lead to unneeded invasive biopsies.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for an endo-robot.